6Month Linus Project and Yarn Costs: January -June

During the first half of the year I bought 143 skeins of yarn for $127.14 or an average of $0.89/ skein.

In six months I have made 43 Linus Project blankets, 11 operation Gratitude Scarves, 19 Pet Blankets for the shelter and 10 red hats for the American Heart Association.

And I still have a lot of yarn upstairs in my craft room.

6 Month Personal Care and Household Expenses: January -June

I have set a $25/month goal for Personal Care Expenses.

For the first six months of the year, we spent $226.85 in total which averaged out to $37.81/month.  I am significantly higher than I want to be.

For Household Expenses I set a goal of $10/ month.

In the first six months we spent $57.21 or $9.54/month.  I am just under my goal.

Somehow, I need to get the Personal Care Expenses down.  Wish me luck. ( Or, set a different goal.)

6 Month Clothing Expenses: January -June

Mike spent $50.89 on clothing in the first six months of the year.

Sandy spent $ 112.99.  ( Women just need more.  :)

That is a grand total of $163.88 or $0.91/day

Mike averaged $0.28/day.

Sandy averaged $0.63/day.

6 Month Food Expenses January -June

We spent $968.70 on food the first half of the year.
That averages $161.45/ month.

The federal government says a two person family our age, under the Thrifty plan, should spend $11.91/day for food.  I include meals out.

We are averaging $5.35/day for Mike and I.

That breaks down to $2.68/person/day.

I'll take it since I think it will only increase in the future.

Quarterly Entertainment Expenses: April -June

April:

Amazon Prime $10

May:

Amazon Prime $10
Two used paperbacks for $1

June:

Amazon Prime  $10


We continue to listen to books on tape and watch movies borrowed from the library.

Three month total:  $31
Monthly Average:  $10.33

The Meal Plan: August 1-15

Vegetarian:
Pasta with garlic oil and cheese

Low Meat:
Chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese

Meat:
Italian sub; Philly cheese steak sloppy Joes; southern bbq; roast chicken; chicken sandwiches

Vegetarian:  1
Low Meat:  1
Meat:  5

Too much meat!  Need to work on that.

Buying and Eating: August 1-15

$11.91/day on the thrifty plan X 24 days equals $285.84 for the month.
Cushion is currently $768.34.


We spent a week at the lake with Mike's extended family so I adjusted the numbers. The money for feeding everyone dinner comes out of a different budget.

What We Ate:  spaghetti with garlic oil and cheese, garlic bread, peas;  chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese; Italian sub; Philly cheese steak sloppy Joes, grapes and green beans; southern bbq, bleu cheese coleslaw, tomatoes and feta, cornbread; roast chicken, stuffing, edemame; turkey sandwich

What We Bought:

Tops:  celery, lettuce, fresh green beans mini watermelon (2) peanut butter    $6.47

Giant Eagle:  dasani sparkling  Free with coupon

Aldi:  olives (2), frozen pizza, $8.77 (lake)

West's:  cheese balls, large Italian sub  $11.90 (lake)

Shoreless Acres:  donuts  $5.00 (lake)

Giant Eagle:  cottage cheese (free with coupon), cantaloupe  $0.99

Groceries:  $33.13

eating Out:

lunch at Aunt Cookie's:  $8.85  (lake)

Burger King  $9.83 (lake)

Eating Out:  $18.68

Total for 1-15:  $51.81

Remaining Allocation:  $234.03

Quarterly Linus Project and Yarn Costs April -June

April:

Linus Project :  9 blankets made

May:

29 skeins of yarn bought in England  for the equivalent of $32.49 or $1.13/ skein.

10 skeins of English yarn for the equivalent of $12.96 or $1.30 each. 

21 skeins of British yarn for the equivalent of $15.88 or  77 cents each

33 skeins of yarn bought at Salvation Army using 50% discount colored tags and military discount for $18

7 Linus Project Blankets made

7 Pet blankets

9 scarves for Project Gratitude

Total Spent on yarn in May:  $79.33 for 93 skeins.  My stockpile is looking healthy.


June:

13 skeins of yarn for $14.16

7 blankets for the Linus Project made

2 scarves for Operation Gratitude made

2 Pet Blankets made

$14.16 spent on yarn in June

Quarterly yarn cost:  $93.49

Total Linus Project Blankets made:  22

Total Operation Gratitude Scarves made: 11

Total Pet Blankets made:  9

July Household and Personal Care Expenses

Household:

Pump soap  $0.75 salvage
Kool-Aid lemonade for dishwasher  ( removes film from glasses ) $1.00 salvage
Upholstery cleaner for RV  $$3.47 Wal-Mart
$1.98 Glad oven ware salvage (for lake)
Basket for Mike's papers in RV $3.99 thrift store
6 red candles $5  thrift store (for Christmas)

Personal Care:

$1.98 tooth brushes and bandaids from salvage
Haircuts for Mike and Sandy  $24

Total Household:  $15.19

Total Personal Care:  $25.98

Frugal Things In July

1.  Using our National Parks Senior Pass, we stayed in a National Park with our RV for 50% less than the normal rate.  This $12/night rate included the Fourth of July!

2.  I had a prescription filled recently when we were on vacation.  When it came time for the refill I had it transferred to a local drug store that was running a special offer for doing so.  The result, $25 to spend at the drugstore.  I will stretch it as far as I can by focusing on buying things that are already on sale.

3.  We received a $230 gift card from Costco as a rebate for booking a vacation through them.. Will stretch it by focusing on buying mark downs.

4.  Starbucks sent me a freebie to be used my birthday.  We were camping but my husband found a Starbucks nearby so that savings didn't go by the wayside.

5.  I shopped at salvage grocery stores and filled in the gaps in my stockpile very inexpensively.

6.  I bought a nightgown and three sweaters at a thrift store for a total of $10.

7.We received a $30 rebate from Sam's Club and used it to purchase some supplements we take.  Like getting them for free!



A frugal fail:

Haircuts were on sale for $5. We were camping too far away.  Lost savings.

The Meal Plan: July 16-31

Vegetarian:  vegetarian chili over baked potatoes;  Thai noodles; Vegetarian meatloaf; bean tostada and corn; macaroni and cheese;Buffalo wing pasta;  Vegetarian vegetable soup

Vegetarian Meals: 7

Low Meat:  Fried bologna sandwiches with vegetarian split pea soup; lentil and bacon soup; Cuban black bean soup;  tuna noodle casserole

Low Meat Meals:  4

Meat:  hamburgers; Italian sausage patties; ham and potato salad

Meat Meals:  3

Due to a need for soft foods we are heavy on soups, etc.  But the balance worked well for the budget.  :)

Buying and Eating: July 16-31

Remaining Allocation for Month:  $90.72

What We Ate:  vegetarian chili over baked potatoes; Thai noodles; Vegetarian meatloaf, roasted vegetables, bread pudding;  fried bologna sandwiches and; bean tostada and cor;n vegetarian split pea soup; hamburgers bleu cheese pasta, Mexican been tostada and corn;  sausage patties, fried potatoes, beets;  macaroni and cheese; Buffalo wing pasta; Vegetarian vegetable soup; lentil and bacon soup; Cuban black bean soup; tuna noodle casserole, peas and fresh fruit; potato salad, ham; leftover


What We Bought:  Not much after my heavy shopping of the last two weeks.


Cheesehaven:  smoked white fish  $5.44 (while on vacation)

Tops:  Italian bread, sliced mushrooms (2)  $2.97

Bread Store:  rye, English muffins, bagels, multigrain  $3.71

Price Rite:  celery, peaches, plums, nectarines, mustard $3.56

Grocery Total:  $15.68

Eating Out:

Mike lunch $2.12 at Taco Bell

Amount to Cushion:  $72.92

Considering all the salvage shopping done earlier in the month, I am surprised to have anything for adding to the cushion.